The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has given UnionBank’s digital arm a green light, kicking off a new centralized banking unit, with all the innovations that come with the emerging financial technology.
In a statement rendered to the Philippine Stocks Exchange (PSE) on Tuesday, UnionBank proclaimed that UnionDigital Bank, Inc., its fully owned subsidiary, officially began operations on July 18, 2022.
Effectively, the roll-out suggests a working “Authority to Operate,” which was a permit granted by the BSP six days prior, on July 12, 2022.
The BSP, in an attempt to limit the number of digital banks conducting operations in the Philippines, approved only six applications last year.
Of the six, which include UnionDigital Bank, Inc., the five others are PayMaya’s Maya Bank, Robinsons Bank Corp.’s GOtyme, Singapore’s Tonik Bank, and UNObank, as well as the Overseas Filipino Bank (OFBank).
Following a three-stage application process, the “Certificate of Authority to Operate” that was given to UnionDigital validates its reaching of the final step.
The final stage is preceded by the application asking for the BSP’s blessing to establish a new bank and the other being the asking for the release of the Certificate of Authority in order to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission.